As the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to issue its ruling on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act , Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami speaks June 8 on the subject of health care during a gathering billed as the, 'Stand Up for Religious Freedom Rally', in front of the Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr. United States Courthouse in Miami. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

| Jun. 8, 2012

Americans Stand Up for Religious Freedom on Bill of Rights’ Anniversary

Rallies draw more than 75,000 people to protest HHS ‘contraceptive mandate.’

CHRISTOPHER WHITE

At noon today, the 223rd anniversary of when James Madison first introduced the Bill of Rights to the First Congress, more than 75,000 Americans throughout the country gathered to protect, defend and exercise those rights at the nationwide Stand Up for Religious Freedom rallies.

This round of rallies served as a follow-up to the inaugural rally on March 23, where 63,000-plus citizens in 145 locations took to the streets to protest the federal Health and Human Services (HHS) mandate requiring religious employers to cover contraception and other abortion-inducing drugs as a part of their health-care coverage.

The rallies, coordinated by the Pro-Life Action League and Citizens for a Pro-Life Society, provided an opportunity for citizens to add their voices to the current legislation efforts and judicial reviews that are already underway.

According to Eric Scheidler, head of Pro-Life Action League, a public response from the citizens is a necessary component to convincing the federal government to rescind the current mandate or to provide broader exemptions for religious institutions.

“After we heard about the mandate in January,” noted Scheidler, “we knew there had to be a public response. That’s what the Pro-Life Action League is all about: putting convictions into action in the public square.”

Birthplace of Religious Freedom

While rallies took place in 164 locations throughout the United States on Friday, the rally at New York’s Federal Hall on Wall Street had special historical significance. More than 400 New Yorkers braved the heat and humidity to crowd the steps of Federal Hall, the very location where Madison introduced the Bill of Rights and where George Washington was inaugurated as the first president of the United States.

The speakers at the New York rally included Alveda King of Priests for Life, Dr. Anne Nolte of the Gianna Healthcare Center for Women, Christopher Bell of Good Counsel Homes, Edward Mechmann of the Archdiocese of New York, and Maria McFadden Maffucci of the Human Life Foundation.

After leading the crowd in the Our Father, King encouraged attendees to see the link between the pro-life movement’s opposition to the HHS mandate and the civil-rights movement of the 1960s that was led by her late uncle, Martin Luther King Jr.

“Abortion and contraception are not health care,” she warned. “This is not the time to go home. This is not the time to give up. We are obligated to tell the truth.”

Nolte, who runs the only full-time Catholic health center for women in New York, used the opportunity to educate the crowd on the facts about birth control. According to Nolte, prior to the widespread use of birth control, one out of 12 women was diagnosed with breast cancer. Today, that number is one in eight.

“I’m here to dispel the myth that opposition to this mandate is an attack on women,” Nolte proclaimed. “Significant health risks occur from the use of the pill, and bad science is being used to take away our fundamental right to religious freedom.”

For Maffucci, her opposition to the mandate is motivated by her love for her two young daughters. “I don’t want my daughters to think that their fertility is a disease,” she told the crowd. “I want them to enjoy that they are women and could be potential mothers one day.”

While the attendance in New York was heavily Catholic, there were also Orthodox Jews in attendance, alongside Protestants of a variety of Christian traditions. Henry Bleattler, a professor at The King’s College, a nondenominational school in Manhattan, reflected on his own attendance and commented, “I am not a Catholic, and I am not against birth control. But this is an assault on religious freedom for all. For too long I’ve sat at home angry, but I decided today it was time to take a public stand.”

Rallying for Real Reform

Participants and organizers alike are hopeful that the Affordable Care Act, which was signed into law on March 23, 2010, will be overturned when the U.S. Supreme Court makes its ruling later this month. If the law is deemed unconstitutional, the HHS mandate will also be struck down, as it rests on the legislation.

If the health-care act is overturned, many citizens and politicians alike still see a need for health-care reform.

Scheidler, who participated in the Chicago rally, hopes that the rallies provide an opportunity for a renewed debate on health care and an opportunity for reform that includes the Catholic Church.

“We’re looking for something more than begrudging toleration for our conscience concerns,” lamented Scheidler. “We’re going beyond that and calling for faith institutions to be given their rightful place at the table when health-care reform is being discussed. Health care comes out of faith traditions and the call to care for one another, the stranger, the sick and the dying. The Catholic network in particular has been serving those needs for centuries.”

America may be standing up for Religious Freedom but the Catholic Bishops and Priests are not. My Diocese of Monterey, CA has said absolutely “NOTHING” about HHS Mandates or anything concerning the issue. I hear ZIP NADA about Contraception and Marriage. Apparently, they must be OK with the HHS Mandate.

Posted by Lisa Spear on Sunday, Jun, 10, 2012 2:00 PM (EDT):

I join with Lone Thinker and A New Catholic. There should have been more, based on how many claim to be Catholic in the U.S. The showing in Denver was also quite thin, and we had a similar dearth of commitment from our parish priests. Also, we had ZERO mass-media attention. (That may be due to the fact that they were only notified on the day of, and the event was at noon.) Some in the crowd lamented that there should have been an announcement, and the event promoted, in the diocesan newspaper; however, our paper is on summer schedule, and the past week was the off week. I think this communication issue demonstrates that we have a great opportunity to improve in our anticipation of national events, planning and broadcasting.

Posted by Bibbit on Sunday, Jun, 10, 2012 1:27 PM (EDT):

“More than 400 New Yorkers braved the heat and humidity to crowd the steps of Federal Hall”

I’m sorry, but that’s a pretty pathetic statement. Braved the heat and humidity? Come on! The weather wasn’t that bad, especially for folks from the area. I support these events 100%, and I wish more people showed up. But trying to temper it by mentioning the heat doesn’t help, it makes the writer look silly.

I agree that the bishops and pastors needed to do more to get the word out and encourage people to go. Many Catholics I know didn’t even know about the rallies.

Posted by Barbara Levich on Sunday, Jun, 10, 2012 10:13 AM (EDT):

There were 200 to 300 in Seattle, much less than in March. My pastor didn’t mention it and my husband and I were the only ones from our parish who were there, in spite of an active pro-life group. We should have filled a stadium and filled the streets with people from every faith. I fear our citizens are still asleep; unaware of what is being taken away from them.

Posted by Mary Cay Andrikidis on Sunday, Jun, 10, 2012 9:06 AM (EDT):

We need to call our local news media to tell them about these important events. If they don’t. Over them then we need to send letters to the Editor. The Fortnight for Freedom is coming up!!!

Posted by alabamajojo on Saturday, Jun, 9, 2012 7:16 PM (EDT):

Do not let your guards down folks. The fox is still in the house. Keep on contacting everyone you know and encourage them to become active as November approaches. This is the first election against the Culture of Death and our work will not be done until the God-given voice of the American people is heard.

Posted by stilbelieve on Saturday, Jun, 9, 2012 1:24 PM (EDT):

Oh, I bet there are some Catholics that are not going to like knowing what I wrote in my post above.

Posted by stilbelieve on Saturday, Jun, 9, 2012 1:22 PM (EDT):

My wife and I attended the Orange County, CA Religious Freedom Rally along with about 2,000 other people. I found the attendance and the enthusiasm to be as good if not better than the two Tea Party rallies we attended in the same location leading up to the 2010 election. I was encouraged by what I saw in terms of home made signs, the speakers from all faiths and the enthusiasm of those attending. The best talk for me was from the Jewish rabbi who incorporated humor as well as wisdom in what he had to share with us.

I heard one point made by a Catholic priest that I had to disagree with. He said this was a “political” rally. No it wasn’t - it was a spiritual rally. We were out defending the First Amendment Right of religious freedom; that is a spiritual thing to do. Obama and his administration are playing politics with our First Amendment Rights; so his actions are political, ours are spiritual…big difference and the clergy should be taught what difference is. Just like abortions for Catholics is not political - it is spiritual and can be talked about in every context in any church at any time and in any way including who is responsible for abortion-on-demand remaining the law-of-the-land. And if you don’t know, the organization responsible for that is the Democrat Party.

And I bet there is something else Catholics don’t know…the Church teaches it is a sin to deny any persons their human rights, and that “is particularly true in the case of joining an organization which promotes segregation OR ANY OTHER DENIAL OF HUMAN RIGHTS.” The Democrat Party is solely responsible for denying the RIGHT TO LIFE to unborn human beings. And Catholics that give their names and support to the Democrat Party are culpable in the deaths of those unborn children. Without Catholics support for the Democrat Party, the Party would not have the elective power to stop the passage of a Right to Life Amendment to the Constitution, or the confirmation of Supreme Court Justices who would overturn Roe v. Wade. Because of continued Catholic support, the Church is now faced with Obama and other Democrat dictators telling us Catholics what they will allow our beliefs to be.

Posted by ANewCatholic on Saturday, Jun, 9, 2012 12:09 PM (EDT):

I agree with LoneThinker. I was at a Stand Up for Religious Freedom Rally in Tucson that had a low turn out. In our parish the Priest did not post any info about the Rally nor did he appeal to the congregation to attend. Being a newbie in the parish I was very disappointed. Although our group was small the passer bys were very supportive by blowing horns and waving.

Posted by Carol on Saturday, Jun, 9, 2012 8:57 AM (EDT):

How can we get this important message out to the mainstream media? I always feel we are “preaching to the choir” through EWTN, The National Catholic Register, and other religious media. The mainstream media has its own agenda and, unfortunately, interviews those with opinions that agree closely with their own. There is no open door to dialogue so that ALL American people can make an informed decision.

Posted by LoneThinker on Saturday, Jun, 9, 2012 7:41 AM (EDT):

There should have been more than 75 K of the 1/4 US Catholic population and the other concerned citizens. That is how the less-qualified get to run the States and Nations.

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